7 Jul 2009: John 6:44

As Christians we often put the onus of God’s power on our shoulders without realizing it. We think that it is our job to go out and save the world from all of its evils. I’ve got two things to tell you: (1) We are part of the world’s evil, so good luck saving ourselves, and (2) that’s just not our job.

Hebert Translation

Nestle-Aland 27

No one is able to come to me unless the father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Jesus makes it very clear that no one can come to the Father, to God Almighty himself, unless God draws him near. This leaves a major question out there:

What does it mean to be drawn by God?

Immediately, those who espouse a free will system have pricked up their ears and started listening more closely. “This heathen is about to say something about predistination,” they mutter among themselves.

(No, I am no predestinationalist/determinist. I will get into this at length in other posts, no doubt, but I think that, given the Biblical evidence, both predestination and free will are somehow true.)

I think it is undeniable that God draws us to him. God has presented himself to us like a fine fragrance and invited us into his presence. He has asked us to come near and take part in his Kingdom. This Kingdom has broken in on earth, first with Jesus, and now with us. It offers people salvation from the “bogus world system.” We are invited not only to be free of the *BS* that this world heaps up on us, but also to help others understand that *BS*. (Excuse my language!)

We cannot live in denial of the fact that God draws us close to him. This is the one thing that we should act on daily. As God draws us near and draws us in, we should seek to be in that presence; we should seek to come to know him more, to be with him, and to feel what it’s like to be in his very presence. This is the essence of Christianity — the invitation to partake in the Holy Spirit.

[…] will go into your house; * I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, O LORD 7 Jul 2009: John 6:44 – witheringfig.com 07/07/2009 As Christians we often put the onus of God’s power on our […]